What is ATP needed for?

Secretion - large molecules made in some cells are exported by exocytosis

Endocytosis - bulk movement of large molecules into cell

Synthesis - of large molecules from smaller ones

Replication - of DNA and synthesis of organelles before the cell divides

Movement - such as movement of bacterial flagella and microtubule motors

Activation of Chemicals - glucose is phosphorylated at the beginning of respiration

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The Structure of ATP

A row of three phosphates joined to ribose and ribose joined to adenine, Phospahte(s) joined to carbon 5 and adenine joined to the first carbon.

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The Stages of Respiration

Glycolysis - Happens in the cytoplasm, aerobic or anerobic conditions. Glucose (6C) is broken down to 2x Pyruvate (3C)

Link Reaction - Happens in the matrix, Pyruvate is dehydrogenated and decarboxylated and converted to accetate

Krebs Cycle - Also takes place in the matrix, acetate is decarboxylated and dehydrogenated

Oxidative Phosphorylation - Takes place in the cristae of the mitochondria, ADP is phosphorylated to ATP

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Glycolysis

Glucose (6C) is phosphorylated to hexose phosphate (6C), using phosphate and energy from ATP

Hexose phosphate is phosphorylated to hexose bisphosphate (6C) using phosphate and energy from ATP

Hexose bisphosphate (6C) then splits into two molecules of triose phosphate (3C)

In a series of reactions, each molecule of triose phosphate is converted into pyruvate (or pyruvic acid) (3C)

During this series of reactions, enough energy is released to make 4 ATP molecules per triose phosphate. There is a net gain of 2 ATP molecules when one glucose molecule is split by glycolysis

During this series of reactions, hydrogen is removed from each triose phosphate molecule by dehydrogenation, this is catalysed by the enzyme dehydrigenase and is therefore affected by fluctuations in temperature, pH or concentration

The hydrogen is picked up by the hydrogen acceptor NAD, forming reduced NAD (NADH). Two molecules of reduced NAD are formed when one glucose molecule is split by glycolysis

At the end of glycolysis, the pyruvate molecules are activley transported into the matrix of the mitochondria